Rurouni Kenshin Fan Fiction ❯ Amber Horizons ❯ Chapter 14: The Aftermath ( Chapter 14 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Amber Horizons
- Chapter 14 -



The Aftermath



A small rabbit sat in the midst of a valley. A light breeze gently blew past, causing it to twitch its velvet ears as the small creature nibbled at the colorful blossoms. It hopped at a leisurely pace, making its way through the concealing safety of the grass until it reached the corner foundation of a small structure. Within the interior of the secluded, ramshackled hut movement was heard, causing the timid animal's ears to twitch intently and listen.

A slight rustle. Soft scraping of skin against a rough surface. A soft whimper. Then the rusty creak of something giving way followed directly by a loud thump. A muffled, feminine moan of pain and dispair followed by the sound of clothing being gathered.

The small hare's pink nose quivered as it sniffed the air cautiously. More shuffling from within drew the animal closer as it neared the front of the hut, advancing on the entrance. A sudden whoosh of air erupted as the door swung open, crashing against the outer wall with such resonance that it echoed throughout the area, carried on the wings of the wind.

The meticulous creature that had been inching its way toward the hut, started at the sudden action, immediately scrambling away in the opposite direction. A small figure staggered from the interior of the hut, clutching at peices of what had once been clothing, but now resembled mere rags. Through eyes of shame and torment, Makimachi Misao scanned the wooded area before her. She did not know where Koji had gone and her heart raced in terror at the thought of him returning.

She pushed away from the building as she frantically looked around. She had to get away. She couldn’t stay here. Her chest felt tight, she had an unpleasant soreness every time she moved reminding of her what Koji had done. 'As if I could ever forget,' she thought bitterly. Her head was pounding and her eyes were tired. She had to get away. She spotted a stretch of familiar woodland off to one side and wobbled toward it. She urged herself, forcing each step as she stepped over the threshold of the forest. 'Just a little farther, just a little more,' she kept telling herself.

Just a little…

Misao stumbled along through the quiet woodland, thoughts whirling wildly in her head. The peaceful ambiance of the forest that usually relaxed and calmed her, now made her feel trapped. Locked in, accusations of weakness echoing off the trees and back at her continuously. Her footing was clumsy on the uneven ground, as her hands fisted in the tatters of her uniform. She felt grimy all over. Her limbs were cold while the flesh beneath her clothes was achingly hot. Small short pains shot all over her body with each step. What would they think if they knew?

She, the 'fomer Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu' nothing but a weak female? One that couldn't even protect herself. Hot, bitter tears welled in her eyes and she couldn't stop them. No one but the forest was there to see them. No one. She was alone in her desperation. Only the rushing sound of water was powerful enough to cut through her thoughts and she moved toward it. She stared into the moving water.

Was it warm? Cold? Did she care? No....she didn't. Plunging her trembling hands into the clear water, she found it was cold. Bitingly so, but still it didn't matter. Cupping the water in her hands, she began scrubbing furiously at her exposed skin. Every inch of it felt soiled, dirty, unclean. She hated this feeling. She wanted it washed away. Bringing water to her face, Misao sought to wash the taste of Koji from her mouth. He had forced his lips on hers repeatedly, harshly bruising her delicate flesh.

Grimacing, she spat out the water, but found it did no good. It was useless. She could still taste him, still feel his hands on her body. Still feel him inside her as he violated her in the most demeaning way. Her body shook with the force of her sobs and finally the dam broke loose and Misao threw back her head, letting loose a long drawn out scream of dishonored sorrow.

She lowered herself further into the water. Maybe if she was numb... she thought. Maybe then she wouldn't remember the feel of him. 'No... No...,' she thought with a violent, wild pain growing within her. It didn't help. She could still feel the pinch of his fingers and the painful thrust of his hips - she choked on her own tears. Hands, now all but numb clutched at the nearly shredded cloth clinging to her wet form.

~*~

Himura Kenshin had been out taking a walk in the forest behind the Kamiya dojo and had so enjoyed the fresh air, that he had decided to lengthen his hike. It had been awhile since he had done this sort of thing, and so he had been wandering for a couple hours now, simply taking in the gentle breeze, the towering trees, the singing birds. Everything was beautiful and perfect.... until the comforting silence of the forest was shattered by an anguished scream that startled the rurouni from his idle thoughts.

"Kyaaaaah!"

Kenshin jerked violently. That scream....he knew it. It was Misao-dono's, that it was. Whipping his head around, searching the encompassing trees that lined the path, Kenshin searched for the location from which the scream had emitted. Honing in on the direction, the former hitokiri hurried forth to investigate. If he was right, and it was indeed Misao, then judging from the scream she must be in considerable anguish. Kenshin's violet hued eyes grew tinged with amber as the possibilities of what had caused his friend to scream in such a way caused his anger to rise.

Breaking through shrubbery and foliage, he finally emerged in a somewhat clear spot of forest in which a stream ran. And there in the rushing water, lay Misao. He froze for a moment, his eyes scanning the area to ensure himself that there was no immediate danger. When that had been determined, he allowed his eyes to return to the stream. Misao hadn't moved. Why hadn't she moved? Was she hurt in some way? He moved forward to ask if she was alright, but as he drew nearer, he heard something that froze him in his tracks and caused his heart to clench painfully in his chest. Misao-dono is crying?

'That she is....but why,' Kenshin thought. 'What has happened?'

It was then that something clicked in his mind. She was lying in a stream. Seemingly oblivious to the cold water that rushed over her skin, which was by now tinged an unhealthy blue. Kenshin approached cautiously, not sure if he should call out or not. When he finally reached the edge of the stream, he noticed the glazed look in Misao's eyes and instantly acted. Grasping her firmly, but gently by the shoulders he pulled her free of the water. She winced slightly and groaned in pain, something that did not escape his notice.

"Misao-dono? Misao-dono, can you hear me," he asked the clearly truamatized woman.

She didn't answer. Whether because she didn't hear or that she just couldn't speak at the moment, he didn't know. It didn't matter. All it took was one look at her face. The state of her clothing. The way her hands clutched protectively at her body in the most intimate places. One look at her and he knew. Someone was going to pay. Looking back into Misao's glazed eyes, Kenshin felt his anger rise even more. One thought sped through his mind: 'Get Misao-dono to a doctor immediately.' Shifting slightly, he slid her into his arms so that he could lift her appropriately as he spoke soothingly into her ear.

"It'll be alright Misao-dono, that it will. I will have you at Megumi-dono's office in no time at all."

"NO!"

Amber-tinged violet eyes sought out green eyes that had only a moment ago been glazed over in shock. Her eyes widened in horror and fright.

"No, no doctors! Nothing! No one!" She shifted, contorting her body in an attempt to get away from him. "Put me down, please... don't touch me."

He was unable to deny her with the terrible strain in her voice. Never before had he seen such heartbreaking vulnerability in her eyes. Never had he heard such desperation in her voice.

"Misao-dono...," he whispered as he set her upon her feet.

She stumbled and clutched her arms to herself as though trying to shield someone away. She trembled violently, eyes lowered, tears brimming once more in her eyes. She turned from him and began walking haphazardly.

He watched her pitch and tilt uneasily but she would not allow him to help so he followed along helplessly. Unable to do naught but watch as she struggled with her pain. Finally they reached the dojo and Misao went directly to her room. Kenshin stood in the foyer, concerned and confused. He had no idea what had happened. 'Obviously Misao-dono has been assaulted, but by who? How many had there been?'

He knew she needed medical attention, so he retreated to his room where he kept a kit in case of emergencies. Taking it, he made his way back to Misao's door, knocking lightly before entering. He found her lying on her futon, huddled in a fetal position, the sight bringing a pain to his heart. She looked so lost, defeated.

"Misao-dono," he called gently, but she failed to respond. Rather she lay there, eyes staring blankly ahead of her, her slight frame trembling.

What was he supposed to do? He didn't know. She didn't want him to touch her and he didnt want to frighten her.

He tried again. "Misao-dono?"

This time the silence was broken by a quiet sob. She ducked her face into her linens causing his uneasy frown to deepen.

He proceeded toward her slowly, one step and then another. He paused as he came around to her side of the futon and stared down. He kneeled toward her but didn't reach to touch her.

"H-how about a bath Misao-dono? Surely you'll feel better, that you would."

He reached out, brushing his fingertips against one cheek and she hissed as though in pain. It did, however, get her attention.

"Leave me alone..."

"Please Misao-dono, please at least take a warm bath." She was making him feel so utterly helpless. He couldn't possibly leave her alone. What could be worse than being alone right now? He was suddenly sorely unhappy Kaoru was not around. Surely Misao would welcome the comfort of a woman. 'Or,' Kenshin thought, 'given her reaction to wanting to see Megumi, she wouldn't.' Either way, what was he supposed to do?

To his surprise she stood and nodded her head weakly. She shuffled out and he quickly moved ahead of her to prep the bath. Maybe this would do something, he felt at this point all he could do was hope. Who knew what kind of wounds she had under her tattered clothing. He couldn't possibly... tend to her wounds. Especially not what was likely to be hurting her the worst - that would be beyond inapproperiate to even speak of.

An agonizing time later he watched her shuffle into the bath house and close the door behind her, sealing him out. He sighed heavily turning his gaze to the door. A surge of anger erupted within him. 'Who would do such a thing to her?'

~*~

Inside the furo...

Misao reluctantly released the garment from her shoulders allowing it to spill to the floor. She wrapped her arms across her chest. Her throat felt tight and she shivered. 'Why me?' She stepped into the warm water and sank down as far as she could.

Misao allowed the heated water to surround her entirely from the neck down. As she lay there, her mind continued to replay over and over the horror that had befallen her a mere hour ago. 'How could I allow this to happen? I'm supposed to be better than this. Aoshi-sama would be so disappointed...' Tears began to silently fall, making slow, wet trails down her cheeks, only to drip off her chin and freefall into the water below. 'Himura knows, I can tell. Oh Kami, what he must think of me. I can't face anyone else....no one else must know of this. No one. I don't think I could stand it.'

But worse than Himura, Megumi, Kaoru, Yahiko and the rest - far worse than them, far worse than even Aoshi-sama, was Saitou. Saitou had been lingering over her all afternoon. The first moment Koji's grimy hands clamped down on her, her thoughts flew to Saitou and she'd never crawled back. He still hung like a specter in her head, echoing and haunting. She had to keep him from finding out. He couldn't know...

She choked on a sob. What would he think of her? It would only be a confirmation of all those taunts. Weak little weasel girl couldn't really be a ninja - she couldn't really take care of herself after all. What better proof of there could it be than this? Of her being subdued and... her chest tightened ... raped while working. By her 'partner' of all things, someone she is supposed to be able to trust. There couldn't be any going back?

How was she ever supposed to face him or anyone else without being shame faced? How was she ever supposed to do anything?

When the warmth of the water began to fade she stood letting the rivulets of water drip down her frame. She reached for a towel and pulled it around herself, quickly drying and slipping into the yukata by the door. She cautiously opened the door and peered around as though expecting him to be there and to snatch her wrist and throw her back into the bath house - but no one was there.

Misao slipped back across the yard and reentered the dojo silently, intending on retreating to her room without confronting Himura again. She was almost there when he exited from the kitchen holding a tray with a steaming bowl of something perched on top.

"Ah, Misao-dono, I hope that you are hungry. I have prepared you some miso soup, that I have."

She froze and stared. He smiled gently at her and she hesitated on her reply. What to do?

"Ah... I'm not really... hungry." Hungry? How was she supposed to eat like this? The last thing on her mind was food.

Kenshin's smile faltered, he didn't know what else to do. He felt helpless, and it was killing him. He decided he had to know exactly what had happened. Perhaps if it were made clear, and they could talk about it....

"Misao-dono, please, come sit with me."

She faltered, but ultimately gave into the softly spoken request and came to rest beside him as he sat at the low table near by. At first she stared at her hands but at his silence she looked up.

"Misao.." Kenshin began, purposefully leaving off the 'dono'. "What happened to you today? Weren't you working on the case for Saitou with Koji?"

Her lips tightened into a frown and then seemed to twist anxiously as though she were trying to hold back something dreadful. She raised a hand to her lips. "I... I was working today. I went." She tried but she couldn't say anything else. Her throat felt swollen, tears brimmed, threatening to spill over and her body was coiled tight.

Kenshin felt her ki spike alarmingly and he frowned. "Misao, please... let me help you," he pleaded one last time.

"Help me," she repeated, her voice hollow. "You can't possibly help me. No one can help me..."

"Yes, they can. If you would just tell me, Misao. Tell me who did this to you."

She shook her head weakly, a slow almost trembling motion, but a definite denial of what he wanted. She wouldn't tell him, she couldn't. She couldn't say it. Didn't he realize it would hurt all the more? His very name brought her a shudder of disgust.

Kenshin was tempted to shake her, but fought the urge. He wouldn't dare touch her in such a way, she was too dear to him. She was so distraught that there was no telling what jarring her would do. He was still trying to sort out all that had happened so far when he heard her voice murmur one word softly.

"Koji.."

"Oro?" His acute senses allowed him to hear what she had softly muttered, but he wanted to hear it just to make sure. Though truth be told, he had suspected it from the start.

"K-Koji," she whispered once more.

Kenshin tensed, his entire body going rigid as his suspicions were confirmed. After all, Koji had been the only one there, had he not? Also, his recent actions and comments toward Misao-dono most certainly were efficient enough to condemn him, at least in the rurouni's eyes. Eyes that were now aflame in all out blazing amber.

Grimacing at such a dispicable person laying hands on such an innocent soul, the Battousai stared deeply into Misao's forlorn-hazed eyes. The moment understanding dawned in Misao's eyes, the Battousai rose to his feet and stalked silently from the dojo. Misao's eyes widened. It was quite evident to her where he was going.

'To find Koji....and kill him.'

Misao was in a haze of confusion in the wake of seeing Himura's eyes before he had left. No longer where they the warm and friendly violet eyes of the rurouni, but the cold and unforgiving amber eyes of the dreaded manslayer, Hitokiri Battousai. 'No,' she thought in dispair, 'Himura..' Someone had to stop him before he killed Koji, even though Misao felt the bastard deserved it and then some. Despite the nightmare she had only recently lived through, the thought of her gentle and loving friend reverting back into the cold-hearted murderer was far worse. She was not going to allow Himura Kenshin to destroy himself like that. She had to stop him somehow... someway. But how? In a flash of inspiration, she knew who she had to go see.

'Saitou.'

~*~

Misao fidgited in her chair uneasily while Saitou sat, staring at her from behind his desk. She waited impatiently, her head bowed slightly, as he snuffed out the butt of yet another one of his foul-smelling cigarettes. "Why should I indulge you and follow after Battousai," he asked in an indifferent tone.

Misao's head shot up. "I can't... I can't stop him from what he's going to do. I'm not strong enough! You have to do it!"

He stared back dispassionately. "Why should I?"

Puzzled, Saitou studied the young weasel girl sitting before him. Something about the way she was acting just seemed....off. Something perhaps in the way she was sitting, or talking, but something was most certainly different. Then he noticed something; a fresh bruise marring the delicate skin of her left cheek.

“What happened to your face,” he asked, tone gruff.

Misao paled. “Ah… that’s nothing. I got careless in the dojo with one of Kaoru’s students and got smacked right in the cheek.” She raised a hand to the mark, covering it. “Actually that was really embarrassing.” She laughed uneasily, hoping he didn’t see through the lie.

Shifting in her chair, Misao began to doubt her sanity for coming here. She knew she couldn't stop the enraged rurouni alone, but what on earth had possessed her to come to Saitou!? He practically hated Himura!

'Baka! He's the only one who can stop Himura from getting himself into trouble,' she chastised herself.

"Well, quit wasting my time weasel and tell me why you need me?"

She frowned slightly, averting her gaze from his, but it only caused him to wonder more at her reluctance. The weasel girl hardly seemed like one to keep secrets. Beginning to become annoyed with the girl's aversions, Saitou rose from his seat behind his desk and walked around to stand before Misao. He reached down, noting the pronounced flinch as he gripped her chin firmly and tilted her head up to meet his inquiring gaze. She would tell him. He was determined to know.

With a flinch, Misao inhaled sharply as she felt the warm, calloused fingers grip her chin. It was surprisingly gentle...much more gentle than she had expected, though it was a touch she had only recently come to experienced from the man. She kept her eyes lowered, not wanting to look into those calculating amber eyes. He wouldn't help Himura without her answer, but... how was she supposed to say something like that? Especially since she didn't even want to think about it. She had managed to say it once to Himura, and it had proven to be quite difficult.

The seconds ticked by, turning to minutes. Misao knew time was running out, but still she hesitated to speak. Finally, she allowed her eyes to drift upward, her gaze following the blue-clad masculine arm as it went. At last, emerald green eyes locked with amber. His eyes were surprisingly warm, not cold like she had expected.

"I don't suppose you'd just accept that it was personal and move on," she asked, a hint of helplessness in her voice.

The golden eyes narrowed a bit, showing that his patience was indeed growing thin. "Not on your life, weasel," came the expected reply.

"I was raped, Himura found me afterward and made me tell him what had happened. He went to find the guy, but he's not himself anymore. I think he's reverted to the Battousai and I'm afraid he'll break his vow of not killing and then you'll put him in jail! I can't let that happen," she exclaimed in a rush.

'Raped,' Saitou thought, that word being the only one that registered in his mind at the moment. 'She had said "raped," hadn't she?' His ears were functioning properly, of that he was certain. 'She-she had...'

Before Misao knew what had happened, she was abruptly yanked from her seat, her feet leaving the floor completely, as she was hauled up against a solidly muscled chest. Her eyes widened in shock as she looked into the heated eyes of a completely enraged Saitou.

"Care to repeat that weasel," the normally stoic voice had lowered into an animalistic growl.

Instead of a reply, he felt her cringe away from the contact between them. Puzzled, he released her immediately and took a step back. Still she didn't respond. Gritting his teeth, Saitou resisted the urge to reach out and grab the girl again - this time to shake some sense into her. Instead, he settled on growling yet another question.

"How am I supposed to find the Battousai if I don't know where he's going?" Amber eyes flashed heatedly as he spoke.

Sighing softly, Misao resigned herself to the fact that she would have to tell the complete truth to get the assistance she needed from Saitou. Reveal to him the identity of the man who had done such a dispicably dishonorable act to her. What Saitou's reaction would be to the truth was a mystery. A mystery about to be revealed.

"I was attending to the job you requested of the Oniwanbanshuu, spying up at Blue Creek. My escort however became bored just sitting around and thought I was ample entertainment." She barely avoided choking on the words.

"Tsuji Koji?" His mind was still reeling from the fact that she had been raped, and now she tells him it was one of his own officers. And it had been his idea to send Tsuji on the mission with the little weasel. So did that fact make her rape ... his fault?

She turned her head away slightly. "I don't care about anything else, just please stop Himura!"

He took a slight step back from her, his furious mind working over the facts. Koji would have some serious explaining to do, if he was still alive when he got done with him.

"Himura," she reminded him impatiently, latching onto his arm. "We have to stop him! You have to stop him before your one officer short!"

Despite his confused anger, Saitou's eyes narrowed at her words. "What do you mean we weasel? You're not going anywhere," he stated sternly, which caused Misao's eyes to narrow as well.

"Saitou! This is no time to argue, damn it! We have to stop Himura before he does something he'll regret!" She frowned and pulled at his blue sleeve again. "Come on!"

He allowed her to pull him along, his thoughts on how well she seemed to be handling herself. He'd seen many women that had been raped and their destroyed mental states afterwards, but Misao was up and only concerned about the Battousai, of all people!

They left the office, only to return moments later, a wailing Misao following along. He grabbed his forgotten cigarettes without a word and swept past her as she watched him blankly.

~*~